Psy Gangnam Style Becomes First YouTube Video With 1 Billion Views

Five months ago PSY's "Gangnam Style" debuted on YouTube. On Friday, PSY's viral gift became the first YouTube video ever to cross the one-billion views threshold. In an interview with MTV, PSY spoke about the unexpected success of "Gangnam Style."

"Honestly, when I made this video I didn't even expect 1 million views, because this is off my sixth album in Korea, so I just hoped it would be huge there. I didn't even think about any other countries; I just did my job and waited and watched. And, you know, today, I'm still wondering and analyzing its success. Because I've done this thing many times, this dance, this album, this video ... this one just became something else entirely."

PSY's astronomical success hit a few bumps, in its otherwise seamless journey, when earlier this month news surfaced of his anti-American past. For the most part, that news came and went with seemingly little long-term damage done to the star and his reputation.

As for what's next on PSY's agenda he told MTV, "I'm really working hard on a new single right now, because I want to prove I can do it one more time. I'm not going to say I don't feel pressure, but, you know, the pressure is what it is. Right now, my manager says I should just go back to Korea and party, so maybe I'll listen to him."

Elena is the Arts & Entertainment Editor at Mic. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Salon, Time Out New York, The New York Times Upfront, ABC News, and various travel publications. She is also a Princeton alum, a former Thailand resident, and a Brooklyn native.